1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for preparing a dough and/or baked product with a pectate lyase.
2. Description of the Related Art
The strength of a dough is an important aspect of baking for both small-scale and large-scale applications, whereas a weak dough is less tolerant to these treatments. A strong dough has a greater tolerance of mixing time, proofing time, and mechanical vibrations during dough transport than a weak dough. A strong dough with superior rheological and handling properties results from flour containing a strong gluten network. Flour with a low protein content or a poor gluten quality results in a weak dough.
Dough "conditioners" are well known in the baking industry. The addition of conditioners to bread dough has resulted in improved machinability of the dough and improved texture, volume, flavor, and freshness (anti-staling) of the bread. Nonspecific oxidants, such as iodates, peroxides, ascorbic acid, potassium bromate and azodicarbonamide have a gluten strengthening effect. It has been suggested that these conditioners induce the formation of interprotein bonds which strengthen the gluten, and thereby the dough. However, the use of several of the currently available chemical oxidizing agents has been met with consumer resistance or is not permitted by regulatory agencies.
The use of enzymes as dough conditioners has been considered as an alternative to the chemical conditioners. A number of enzymes have been used recently as dough and/or bread improving agents, in particular, enzymes that act on components present in large amounts in the dough. Examples of such enzymes are found within the groups of amylases, proteases, glucose oxidases, and (hemi)cellulases, including pentosanases.
It is the object of the present invention to improve the properties of dough and/or baked products by the use of a pectate lyase.